The invention relates generally to the field of welding systems, and particularly to welding systems that supply a filler material to weld locations during welding.
Welding systems generally include an electrode configured to pass an arc between a torch and a work piece, thereby heating the work piece to create a weld. In many systems, such as metal inert gas (MIG) welding and stick welding systems, the electrode is a consumable wire that melts into the weld to provide a filler material into the weld. In other words, a single wire serves both as an electrode and as the filler material. In contrast, tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding systems employ a non-consumable tungsten electrode that is independent from the filler material. In other words, the TIG welding process does not melt the tungsten electrode into the weld forming on the work piece. Instead, a user generally holds the TIG torch with the tungsten electrode in a right hand, while the user simultaneously and independently holds the filler material in a left hand. Unfortunately, this two-handed technique for TIG welding does not leave any hands free for controlling the welding current, wire feed rate, and so forth. Thus, a user may need to stop the welding process (e.g., set down the TIG torch or the tungsten electrode) in order to adjust various controls. As a result, the welding process may create a less than desirable weld due to the delays in adjustments, breaks in the weld continuity, and so forth.